This invention relates to preparation and use of breadcrumbs for coating food products intended to be oven-cooked their production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,961 describes a process for the production of breadcrumbs in which a mixture containing at least 95% of flour, 2.5 to 3% of fats and yeast is prepared and mixed in an extruder, a gas such as carbon dioxide is injected into the extruder at several places to form an aerated mixture which is then heated and extruded at a temperature of the order of 30 to 100.degree. C. and under a pressure of 14 to 42 bar (200 to 600 psig). The product thus obtained is then cut into small pieces and dried. The breadcrumbs thus obtained may be used to coat food products, such as pieces of meat or fish, which are subsequently regenerated by frying in hot oil.
During this final step of frying in oil, the breadcrumbs are grilled and roasted and give the appearance of a cooked product, a crispy texture and an agreeable taste to the fried product coated with them. However, the breadcrumbs also absorb a large quantity of fats (approximately half their weight), so that the fried coated product obtained is rich in fats.
Now, the modern trend among consumers is to avoid the consumption of high-fat products, more particularly products cooked by frying in oil.
One solution is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,438 which relates to a new type of breadcrumbs for coating products intended for regeneration in a conventional oven or in a microwave oven. Unfortunately, the regenerated products coated with these breadcrumbs are reminiscent in their taste and texture of products obtained by frying in oil. The coated product according to this document may be obtained in various ways, one of which comprises a sequence of particular steps in which the product to be breadcrumb-coated is coated with a binder and then with breadcrumbs obtained by extrusion of a dough containing approximately 20% of flour and 80% of water, the product thus breadcrumb-coated is then oven-cooked in air with a certain humidity level, oil is sprayed onto the cooked breadcrumb-coated product and the sprayed product is exposed to a high temperature of the order of 375 to 480.degree. C. to give the product a brown and crispy surface.
Although it gives satisfactory results, this known process has the disadvantage that it is neither quick nor easy to carry out in view of the numerous steps which it involves. In addition, it involves repeated handling of the breadcrumbed product and the use of special installations.